Flower of Summer
by OmegaWulfHound
Summary: Rosepaw is a young apprentice, spending her days training to become a warrior. However, the arrival of two strange cats may lead to danger for the Clan, and Rosepaw is determined to find out what it is before it reaches them! Even if it means dragging her sister, her sister's quiet friend, and a not-so-friendly apprentice along for the ride. (RWBYxWarrior Cats) R&R!
1. Prologue

**Okay, so this is the re-updated version of the prologue! I made several tweaks, including the ending and…turn of events. I will elaborate at the end, but I gave a bit more characterization and edited the 'prophecy' to fit a bit better to the coming plot.**

 **Yes, there is a plot. One I have meticulously spent weeks formulating like the paranoid person I am. In fact, I have 20 chapters –at least- planned out already, if not written out yet.**

 **Anyways, more at the end, but please give this a re-read and let me know what you all think!**

 **Note : I do not own RWBY (Property of Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum) or Warriors (Property of Erin Hunter). I am just a person that is a bit too obsessed with both and am subjecting you all to the resulting madness**.

* * *

A lone tomcat, solid gray coat and tail neatly wrapped around his paws, sat on a grassy precipice. He kept his back to the pale sunlight as it began to fight the countless gray clouds for control of the skies. Behind him, the grass sloped gradually into a wide open clearing of wild flowers, but the other side dropped off, the cliff-like wall providing shelter and protection to the camp below. The tom's calm gaze shifted as he caught each small movement within the thickly woven boundaries of bramble that strategically circled his companions and their home.

Currently there was a general air of apprehension, brought on by what should be a simple, natural event. But it was close to Leaf-bare, when prey was the scarcest and cats got sick more easily. Several of the natural herbs they collected to treat wounds or illnesses were sparse as well.

Down below, next to a large bramble thicket, a tom, visible only due to his light golden color, paced about anxiously. A few cats sat off to the side of the clearing, silently watching the worried tom. One of them must have said something, as the golden tom paused in his tracks, though only for a moment.

The bramble thicket shook slightly as a young, light gray she-cat slipped out, only to be approached by the golden tom. They exchanged few words before the she-cat jerked past him and ran to the edge of the cliff wall below him, where she quickly vanished into one of the caves that provided more concrete shelter.

The tom observed this from his perch up above them all, just as he did almost every day. Up there, he could see the forest that wrapped all along the east and south; the river that cut along the north, and the edge of mountainous terrain behind him in the west, past the withering wildflowers.

Glancing back down, he caught sight of a tawny she-cat as she slipped from under a large witch-hazel bush, who immediately brought her eyes up to meet his with squinted eyes and a small frown. She always knew to look for him up there, given his affinity for high places. But, after a moment, she waved her tail and looked away, already knowing that he wouldn't be able to hear any of her words.

Instead, the she-cat focused on the golden tom, whose own gaze turned between where the pale gray she-cat had gone and the bramble thicket. The tawny she-cat said something to him, but whatever it was, he hardly seemed to hear, instead slipping right past her and poking his head into the smaller den, tail stiff. The she-cat only shook her head and trotted away, slipping out of the camp through the spot in the bramble wall where the thorns and branches were thinned out into a slim opening.

When she appeared beside him on the hilltop a few moments later, sitting down to his left, the gray tom could still sense the mix of irritation and concern coming from her. She had never been one to hide her emotions well. Observing the bristled fur along her spine only confirmed this.

Seeing that she wouldn't be the one to break the silence, the gray tom took it upon himself, the faintest note of teasing in his voice, "is there something wrong, Moonglade?"

Moonglade gave him a flat stare, before she redirected it downward with a small huff, "I don't know how you can be so calm about all of this, Owlstar. Roseheart wasn't due for at least a few more days, and she's having enough trouble without that fool of a tom shoving his nose in the nursery every few seconds."

Owlstar rested a paw on her side in a calming gesture, "You know Patchwhisker is only worried after what happened with Meadowbrook's kits last moon."

The memory of the distraught queen trying in vain to wake two of her kits brought the two to a respectful silence. What seemed like a simple cough had caused all three of her kits to fall ill. Thankfully, their healer, Palefeather, managed to save the only male of the litter, despite him having been weaker and smaller than his sisters.

Unable to stand the silence, Moonglade quickly moved the subject back to the current events, "first he insists on waking the entire den when Roseheart starts kitting, and now he can't even calm down enough to be of any help! I would suggest that Palefeather give him Chamomile to chew on, but she might try and snap his tail first."

Owlstar twitched his ears as he chuckled softly, despite the atmosphere, "I don't think we'll have to worry about that. Palefeather is…spirited but dedicated to performing her role."

Moonglade lowered her head, "I just hope that Roseheart recovers. She's a great warrior and was like a second mother to Blazepaw. She even helped Patchwhisker when Ra—"

A loud cry of anguish startled the two out of their conversation. A flock of birds took flight from the far fields.

"Oh no…" Moonglade was staring down into the camp again.

Owlstar closed his eyes, only for a moment, before he spun around to follow Moonglade down the hillside. The others needed their guidance now.

It only took them a few minutes, but the camp was utterly silent as Owlstar and Moonglade pushed their way into the clearing.

Almost the entire Clan of cats was lingering about the clearing, having been awoken by Patchwhisker's calls of despair. Some were still blinking the sleep from their eyes, but the scent of grief and death from the bush meant to house queens and their kittens was all they needed to know what had occurred.

As the duo approached, a light gray and white she-cat came forward to meet them half-way. The large white tom she had been sitting beside only raised his head slightly before focusing on the small kit in front of him that tried to follow its mother. He quickly drew the kit back to him, their similar pelts nearly blending together.

"I…I know it's a hard moment for everyone," The she-cat looked down as she spoke, her eyes clouded by grief. "But… I can take the kit. Until it's done nursing at least…"

Owlstar gave a small nod of gratitude, "Thank you, Silvernight. I'm sure Patchwhisker will appreciate that."

Silvernight just looked away, eyes betraying her skeptical feeling, as she hurried back to her kit and mate. Owlstar understood her uncertainty; past events had shown evidence that Patchwhisker wasn't likely to acknowledge anything for a while.

Palefeather met them at the opening to the den. Owlstar could see how much this had affected the normally composed young she-cat.

Keeping her eyes trained on the ground, Palefeather spoke with a flat tone, "I'm sorry, Owlstar. I wasn't able to save Roseheart." Before he could respond, Palefeather quickly slipped past him and Moonglade, heading away from the rest of the cats, where she settled down with her back to them.

Moonglade opened her mouth to call to Palefeather, but Owlstar stopped with a shake of his head, "Give her a minute."

They had a more pressing issue to deal with first, anyway.

Inside, the bush had been meticulously hollowed out to allow multiple cats to have nests. Though the other queens had vacated to give Roseheart some space, the air still seemed so oppressive. Near the back of the den, the golden tom from earlier, Patchwhisker, was laying hunched over a small red, un-moving, she-cat.

Patchwhisker hardly spared a glance toward his leader before he turned to push his head into Roseheart's side. Owlstar tilted his head as he spotted the red little lump of fur that was squeaking and pressing against Roseheart's side.

Poor thing…

"Patchwhisker… She's gone. She's in StarClan now," Moonglade spoke from beside Owlstar, referring to the collection of past warriors that watched over them from the night sky above.

Owlstar nodded, blinking his gratitude for Moonglade's interjection. And, as much as he would mourn for Roseheart, they had to keep focus, for the kit's own safety.

"But you still have a kit that needs to be cared for. Silvernight has offered to care for—"

"Rosekit…Her name is Rosekit." Patchwhisker cut in, not even raising his head to address the leader of their Clan. Only now acknowledging them, he crouched closer to his mate, hiding Rosekit from view in an attempt to keep her warm.

Owlstar hesitated, and shared a glance with Moonglade. Finally the gray tom dipped his head, "If you wish, Patchwhisker. Silvernight has offered to share her milk with Rosekit."

Silvernight, watching from the entrance, slid along the ground in a respectful gesture, pausing as she reached Roseheart's nest.

"Where is she?"

Eyes desolate and bleak, Patchwhisker only leaned away from Roseheart's body to reveal the little red kit, still trying to suckle.

Hesitantly, Silvernight lightly plucked the mewling kit, Rosekit, from her mother's side and slowly padded to her own nest, conscious of Patchwhisker's unblinking stare as she went.

Once she was settled, tail curled around Rosekit, she purred, "Rosekit is a wonderful name, Patchwhisker."

The tom only gave a hitched noise, before he turned away to continue lapping at Roseheart's fur.

Usually very observant, Owlstar only now realized that there was a fifth cat in the den, not counting Roseheart or the newborn.

A long-haired, bright yellow she-cat, younger than all of them but big in size due to her fluffy fur, was staring at the scene with utter despair in her eyes.

"No…"

Moonglade, usually stern, shifted over to allow the young one to pass, tail sliding over her back in an attempt at comfort, "Blazepaw…"

Blazepaw didn't hear the older cat. She swiftly crossed the den in only a few paw steps, and pushed herself into her father's side, who remained unresponsive.

Seeing how crowded the den was getting, Moonglade slipped back out into the clearing, a quiet murmuring in the camp beginning as she explained just what had happened.

"We should move her…"

Owlstar turned back to the grieving family, and even Silvernight began to sit up. It had been Blazepaw that had spoken.

"You know…give her some…air."

A few heartbeats passed.

Then, without waiting for an offer of help, Patchwhisker gripped Roseheart's neck fur in his jaws and, very carefully, hauled her out of the nursery. Blazepaw watched him go, spared a glance at Silvernight and Rosekit, and hurried after him.

The small whispers outside ceased.

Sighing, Owlstar knew he had to go out there. He nodded his thanks to Silvernight before he exited.

Moonglade was in the center of the clearing, but all of the cats that had been listening to her were now watching Patchwhisker, who had laid out Roseheart's body a few meters away. Blazepaw sat a few feet from them, letting him grieve.

But Owlstar noted with a small glimmer of hope that one of Blazepaw's denmates, a nervous and small black cat with torn ears, had made her way over as well, sitting so that their contrasting fur pushed together in comfort.

And a bit further from them, head on his paws, lay another tom, dark gray and wild fur that was coated in older scratches.

Owlstar remained to the side, noting that Palefeather also sat away from the others, near the edge of the camp wall. She kept her eyes down and half-closed, as if in thought.

Moonglade gave a sigh, drawing attention back to her, "this has been a… somber morning for us all. But we need to send out a hunting party. Roseheart would not have wanted us to stop caring for each other."

It was true, the young she-cat was –had been known to always stay positive, doing her work happily and encouraging others to do the same.

"Quickriver," a lean gray tabby tom, whose fur stuck out from an interrupted sleep, got to his paws "please take Hareclaw and Petalpaw out and catch what you can. Try along the southern grove; we haven't hunted there in a while, and prey might be stocking up for the snow."

Quickriver shot to his paws and hurried out of the camp, his energy pumping despite the sudden wake-up call. He was followed by a handsome golden tabby and a smaller black tom with a striking purple mark on his tail. Even in the cloudy dawn light, the bright stain blared through the gloom, a permanent reminder of the black tom's kit-hood.

Moonglade waited for them to depart, before she focused on the rest of the cats, "…Blizzardpelt," the large white tom from earlier, Silvernight's mate, lifted his head to attention, "it would also be best if we sent out a border patrol. We should remark our borders to ward off any creature that might try and take advantage of the…situation." Her voice quieted near the end, ears twitching in the direction of where Patchwhisker sat vigil.

"Take Redflame, Meadowbrook, and Amberpaw. Circle around the camp, starting with the western border and wrapping around to the east. Quickriver's patrol will be along the southern boundary, so prioritize the other three."

The small black cat beside Blazepaw lifted her head, seeming reluctant to leave her friend's side. Blazepaw lightly nudged her and nodded, so she moved away to join Redflame, a bright red she-cat, near the camp entrance.

Before Meadowbrook could join them, the queen shuffled all of the remaining kits back into the nursery to be with Silvernight, stopping her son to nuzzle her forehead to his before she finally followed the patrol.

While this was happening, Blizzardpelt had made his way over to where Palefeather sat, dipping his head to speak to her. From where he stood, Owlstar couldn't make out the words being exchanged, but Palefeather seemed a bit more sullen when the great white tom lumbered away to lead the patrol out of the camp.

"Finally, Wolfbelly, can you entertain the kits? Keep them from bothering Silvernight?"

While the wide-shaped old tom lumbered into the nursery, Owlstar watched at Palefeather silently slipped from the camp.

Flicking his tail to Moonglade, who nodded, Owlstar passed the group of cats that had been closest to Roseheart, and exited the camp as well.

It was easy enough to follow her scent around the outside of the bramble wall, tracing the same path that he had taken earlier. Rounding the sloped corner of the hill that cut the bramble wall off, he spotted Palefeather sitting just at the edge of the field of wild flowers. Her eyes were turned up toward the very distant mountains, trying to see through the gray clouds that blocked out the Sun.

Owlstar sat down beside Palefeather, remaining silent to allow her the first word.

"Owlstar…I failed, I—"

He only twitched his ears as he cut her off firmly, "you didn't fail. Rosekit lives. Your mother even offered to care for her."

When Palefeather didn't respond, he continued, "Roseheart is gone now, yes, but she is with our ancestors. And she knows that you did all you could."

Both cats drew their gazes up to stare at the over-lapping clouds now.

She sighed, "maybe if I hadn't started my training so late, I could have saved her. And Meadowbrook's kits. But…"

"You are just as knowledgeable as any medicine cat can be. And by training as a warrior first, you have the spirit and skills to protect your Clan as well as heal."

"I just wish I had chosen sooner."

"Your father wanted you to be able to defend yourself and serve your Clan," Owlstar gently pointed out.

"Blizzardpelt wants the perfect warrior. Someone to fight and serve and lead the Clan one day. To carry on the bloodline." Palefeather furrowed her brows, still staring ahead. "A medicine cat can't do any of that."

"He seems to support your role now…"

"He has Snowkit now."

She sneered, "I will bring my kin pride, but how I choose. I only hope that Snowkit learns that as well."

She trailed off as she noticed something. Owlstar quickly followed her line of sight.

A small sliver of sunlight managed to peek through the clouds, lighting up a patch of flowers just a small ways away from the two cats. The sudden light caught their attention, Palefeather's in particular.

As if in a trance, the slender gray she-cat got to her paws and slowly approached, Owlstar watching a short distance back.

The medicine cat was sniffing at a beautiful single rose among a patch of yellow marigolds. As they neared, the two cats noticed the something even odder: beside that deep red flower was the unbloomed bud of a second rose.

Owlstar blinked in surprise. Among all of the wildflowers that grew around their territory, he couldn't recall ever seeing a rose that bloomed this late in the year. Let alone two. But he refrained from speaking and a flick of his tail silenced Moonglade as well, his attention on the roses. Above them, the sunbeam shifted, its light shining down onto the roses just as the second began to blossom.

Owlstar took a small step back. It was too unnatural for something like this to happen for no reason. It must be…

Claws digging into the ground, the she-cat blinked slowly and turned toward Owlstar,

" _A flower of Summer will bloom to defend against a storm of ash and rage._ "

A prophecy.

Palefeather staggered, shaking her head to clear the mist from her eyes.

"Owlstar…I don't understand. What's 'Summer' mean?"

He lifted his own gaze.

"It's the kittypet word for 'Green-Leaf'..." He trailed off, only finishing the thought in his head.

 _And Roseheart's old name._

* * *

 **LIGHTCLAN**

 **Leader** : Owlstar (Ozpin) –Sleek solid-gray tom with feathered tail fur

 **Deputy** : Moonglade (Glynda) –pale yellow she-cat with sharp green eyes

 **Medicine Cat** : Palefeather (Winter) –pale gray she-cat with mid-length fur and white spots

 **Warriors:**

Wolfbelly (Port) –elderly heavy-set graying tabby tom with dark colored whiskers framing his muzzle

Quickriver (Oobleck) – tall speckled gray tabby tom with thin legs

Blizzardpelt (Mr. Schnee) –large white tom

Crowtalon (Qrow) –tom with wild long black fur that is littered with scars – _mentoring Blazepaw_

Patchwhisker (Tai Yang) –russet tom with scars down his white muzzle – _mentoring Amberpaw_

Hareclaw (Mr. Arc) –short-haired golden tabby tom – _mentoring Petalpaw_

Redflame (Pyrrha) –beautiful young red she-cat with long fur

 **Apprentices** :

Blazepaw (Yang) –long furred yellow she-cat with unique purple eyes

Amberpaw (formally known as "Blake") –skinny black she-cat with torn ears and amber eyes

Petalpaw (formally known as "Ren") –dark gray tom with a slim pink stripe of twoleg paint staining his tail

 **Queens** :

Meadowbrook (Mrs. Arc) light yellow tabby she-cat –mother of Goldenkit (Jaune), and also caring for Thunderkit (formally known as "Nora")

Silvernight (Mrs. Schnee) –sleek light-silver and white tabby she-cat –mother of Snowkit (Weiss) and now nursing Rosekit (Ruby)

* * *

… **That happened. Anyways, I spent SO long on this, that it mentally hurt to piece the disjointed sections of the chapter together. I couldn't even use most of the original prologue, because that was the version where Roseheart lived and everything was happy!**

 **Why did I kill her in this redo?**

 **Simple: I originally kept her alive to kill her between the prologue and the first chapter. But I can't do that, as I will already be 'killing off' two characters in the time-skip in the same way I wanted her to go. I really,** _ **really**_ **didn't want Roseheart to die this way, but I figured that this was as good a way as any to break Tai-yang –Patchwhisker.**

 **Also, I made Winter –Palefeather – the medicine cat because I got the vibe in the show that, while she was very militaristic, she was bound more to her duty than to anything else. I will elaborate on that in the future, maybe. If I ever write a chapter dedicated to that family.**

 **So, please favorite and review to let me know your thoughts! Even if it's just a little encouragement, you don't know how much authors love to get feedback!**

 **Next Chapter** **: 6 moons (months) have passed and Rosekit is about to be made a warrior apprentice. She'll finally be able to leave the camp and learn about what goes on outside the walls of bramble. Now if only her father would stop worrying.**


	2. The New Apprentice

**An actually semi-consistent update? Well, kind of. Officially, this story hasn't been updated with a 'new' chapter for months. However, I have re-edited and changed a lot of the Prologue about a week ago, so I suggest reading that first if you skipped right to here.**

 **On to the subject at hand, I need to make something clear before we progress any further: I know that cats can't have purple eyes, or have certain pelt colorings, such as the one I gave to Ruby –Rosekit-. This is fiction and is meant to be entertaining overall. There are also a few, more spiritual, aspects dotted here and there, such as the mention and influence of StarClan and the** _ **very**_ **real impact that these dead cats have on their descendants.**

 **What I am trying to get at here, is that none of these things are the main focus. I am only addressing them here to avoid any future questions. That, and I am paranoid and want to cover all of my bases. But that's enough for now, more at the end!**

 **RWBY is owned by Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth, while Warriors is owned by Erin Hunter.**

* * *

 **Leader** : Owlstar ( **Ozpin** ) –Sleek solid-gray tom with feathered tail fur

 **Deputy** : Moonglade ( **Glynda** ) –pale yellow she-cat with sharp green eyes

 **Medicine** **Cat** : Palefeather ( **Winter** ) –pale gray she-cat with mid-length fur and white spots

 **Warriors** :

Wolfbelly ( **Port** ) –elderly heavy-set graying tabby tom with dark colored whiskers framing his muzzle – _mentoring Snowpaw_

Quickriver ( **Oobleck** ) – tall speckled gray tabby tom with thin legs

Blizzardpelt ( **Mr. Schnee** ) –large white tom

Crowtalon ( **Qrow** ) –tom with wild long black fur that is littered with scars

Patchwhisker ( **Tai Yang** ) –russet tom with scars down his white muzzle – _mentoring Goldenpaw_

Meadowbrook ( **Mrs. Arc** ) –pale orange she-cat – _mentoring Thunderpaw_

Redflame ( **Pyrrha** ) –beautiful young red she-cat with long fur

Blazeflower ( **Yang** ) –long-furred yellow she-cat with unique purple eyes

Amberfang ( **Blake** ) – skinny black she-cat with torn ears and amber eyes

Petalstripe ( **Ren** ) –dark gray tom with a slim pink stripe staining of twoleg paint on his tail

 **Apprentices** :

Goldenpaw ( **Jaune** ) –thin short-haired golden tom with hardly visible pale stripes

Snowpaw ( **Weiss** ) –pure white she-cat

Thunderpaw ( **Nora** ) –wiry golden tabby with dark orange stripes down her back

 **Kits** :

Rosekit ( **Ruby** ) –small red furred she-kit with cream patches.

* * *

 **Chapter One**

 _A vicious battle, fought and won. The victors all gathered around a red she-cat with cream patches spotting her fur. She stood at the top of a boulder, watching as their foes fled into the blackness at the edge of the clearing, blending in until there was nothing left._

 _The crowd of warriors stood around her, yowling their victory against the faceless enemies. Gradually, their yells turned to chants._

" _Rosestar!"_

 _She blinked, realizing that she was the one who they were calling. They were her cats; her Clan._

" _Rosestar! Rosestar! Rosestar!_ Rosekit!"

 _Huh?_

"Wakey wakey, Rosekit!"

A heavy weight suddenly landed on her, and Rosekit gave a strangled yelp. Ripped from her dream, her eyes flung open to meet the bright purple eyes of her elder sister, Blazeflower.

"B-blazefl…air…" The kit gasped and pummeled the large yellow cat with her paws, trying to force the other off.

"Whoops! Sorry there, sis!" Blazeflower grinned down at her before she reared back to let her younger sister breathe. Finally able to inhale, the smaller of the two gasped in relief as she rolled onto her stomach.

The two of them were alone in the spacious den, and Rosekit could hear the soft din of the camp as cats went to and fro in their activities. Looking toward the exit of the den, Rosekit could see that it was well into the morning, closer to mid-day.

Rosekit groaned, ears drooping, "I was having such a great dream!"

Blazeflower chuckled and sat on her haunches, "come on Rosekit, I even got out of morning patrol duty to see you become an apprentice!"

That was right! Any lingering sleep or thoughts of the dream faded from her as Rosekit remembered. She had finally reached six moons, and was old enough to start her apprentice training! She felt the fur along her spine lift as the positive energy Blazeflower gave off seemed to rub off on her.

But…

"Blazeflower…Owlstar never does ceremonies without the Clan all gathered."

The older she-cat had the decency to look sheepish; ears folding back as she waved a paw dismissively, "Okay, so I might have avoided Moonglade this morning. Amberfang's covering for me. It's no big deal."

Rosekit thought of Moonglade's usual response to laziness and winced, "I don't know, Blazeflower…" Thinking of the strict deputy of the Clan put a slight damper on her own mood.

Blazeflower scoffed, "it's fine! Now come on!" She didn't give Rosekit a chance to respond, shoving her playfully onto her side before quickly making her escape into the clearing.

Rosekit shook herself off as she stood, her own excitement rising as she sped after Blazeflower. The den entrance hardly slowed her like it did her sister and the other, bigger, cats, and she burst into the camp.

With the bright sun hanging overhead, the kit had to squint as her eyes adjusted. Finally, she blinked as she looked about the camp, trying to locate Blazeflower.

A good deal of the Clan was out of the camp doing patrols, so only a few cats dotted the clearing, mostly lounging. Almost directly across from the nursery was the wide cliff that shot up from the ground and peaked far above their heads. Time and weather had smoothed the rock surface into a clear stretch of wall, so that the cats below were safe. Where the cliff met the floor of the camp, three small grotto-like caves were shaped out, two of which were in plain sight and ran about twenty feet into the hillside. The third was more hidden, between where the thorn barrier that circled the camp met the Cliffside and a semi-large boulder that kept it mostly out of sight. This was where Owlstar, the Clan's leader, had his den.

She had learned that quickly enough, on one of her first romps around the camp as a young -well, younger- kit. The inside was much smaller that the other two caves, but the boulder blocking the entrance from sight of most allowed for privacy.

The other two caves were for the elders and the medicine cat, respectively. However, the Clan had no current elders, so the cave that was between Owlstar's at the one to Rosekit's current far right was empty. Occasionally a cat would retreat there to nap, but Rosekit saw no enjoyment in the rather bland cave. On the days it rained, which were fewer now that Green-leaf had come, the Clan would move their pile of collected fresh-kill there, to keep it dry.

The oldest cat in the Clan, Wolfbelly, insisted he was still to in his prime and was too young to be ushered into a cave to "rot like a bunch of herbs", and no one wanted to contest themselves with a cat who had claimed numerous times to have fought off a wolf single-pawed.

He claimed that's how he got his name. No one bothered to bring up that that wasn't how the Clan's naming system worked.

The third cave was the widest, though not by much, as it was used for their medicine cat's den. This was where all the herbs were stored and sick cats were kept to avoid spreading illness. Their medicine cat, Palefeather, was laying outside the cave now, an assortment of leaves and berries piled neatly in the sun as they dried. She was clearly taking the chance to enjoy the relative peace and quiet before the patrols returned.

Another cat was also taking advantage of the sun, laying on his side as his long, dark gray fur soaked up the rays outside the witch-hazel bush that the warriors made their nests in. Unlike Palefeather, he seemed dead to the word, sprawled out comfortably as his flanks contracted and rose in a steady rhythm.

Excitement tingled on her toes, and Rosekit forgot about tracking down her sister, who was very clearly hiding behind the warriors den, tail deliberately stuck out for Rosekit to notice. No, the kit had a more fun idea.

She crouched and made her way to the witch-hazel bush, but instead of veering around it to 'attack' Blazeflower, she stopped short of another member of her kin, her uncle Crowtalon, as he continued to slumber away in the heat. The temptation was too great. She wiggled her rump and tensed to pounce-

"I wouldn't if I were you." The tom's raspy voice startled Rosekit and she fell back onto her haunches in an attempt to step away.

"Wha? How?"

Crowtalon laughed, taking his sweet time sitting up. He yawned widely, his ruffled fur sticking out almost comically while half of it was pressed down from where he had been laying. "You aren't as small as you used to be, Rosekit. Granted, you're still pretty tiny for six moons, but I'd try something a bit more stealthy when you're practicing that move on squirrels, kay?"

Rosekit pouted, folding her ears back. "What'd I do wrong _this_ time?"

He snorted. "Well, for one, you were practically thumping your paws along the ground on the way over. And you were purring loudly enough to wake Meadowbrook and Patchwhisker." He flicked his tail behind him to indicate the den, the two cats in question still asleep.

Rosekit had a feeling he was just messing with her and hadn't actually been asleep. No cat's hearing was that good. And her form hadn't been _that_ bad, and she was certain she hadn't purred!

Maybe he was in on it with...

"Gotcha!"

Blazeflower collided with her, full tilt, and the two she-cats went tumbling. Rosekit gave a squeal of surprise as she tussled with her sister, the two swapping playful bumps to the head with their sheathed paws. Crowtalon looked on with an amused expression, before he turned and slipped back into the den to join Meadowbrook and Patchwhisker for a few more moments of sleep.

Rosekit broke away from the yellow cat's hold and she raced away, nearly stepping on Palefeather's herbs in the process as she was pursued. Reaching the lone tree that hung above the fern bushes the apprentices made their nests under, Rosekit slid around the think trunk and stuck out her tongue as Blazeflower tried to change direction. But it was a feint and Rosekit wasn't prepared for the tackle.

After a few minutes of smothering her sister, Blazeflower rolled over to let Rosekit clamber onto her, their size difference ridiculous thanks to Rosekit's own tininess.

"I see that your morning has been productive."

Rosekit and Blazeflower, still sprawled over one another from their play-fight, turned toward the new voice, belonging to Amberfang. In their fun, neither had noticed the slender black she-cat's quiet approach.

Blazeflower was the first to respond, giving Amberfang a grin, "Well she's gotta be prepared, right? And I wanted to show her that there's nothing wrong with a bit of fun, no matter the age!"

Amberfang rolled her eyes, but there was no actual annoyance in the action. Instead, the faintest shine of amusement glittered in her deep golden eyes.

"How was the patrol?"

"It was fine, though I could have done without Moonglade eyeing me as we left..."

Rosekit glanced over absently at the rest of the patrol as they flittered away from the camp entrance to their own spaces to enjoy the sun. Nothing big must have been going on out in the territory, otherwise one of them would have informed Moonglade or Owlstar.

"Sorry 'bout that, Blak-Amberfang."

Rosekit knew that Amberfang hadn't been born in the Clan, but the black she-cat never actually spoke about where she came from. At least, not to Rosekit. The most she knew what that she had gotten her ears ripped up as a kit, and that her old name had been "Blake". The kit only knew this because Blazeflower still occasionally called her that, having begun to do so after Amberfang joined the Clan. At the time, the skinny black she-cat had been extremely anxious and wary about the Clan, and Blazeflower -being the playful but nurturing cat she was- offered to help her adjust to a new life and a new name at her own pace. Her old name was all she had left of before, and Blazeflower had helped her hold on to it, until she grew comfortable enough in the Clan to use only "Amberfang".

Amberfang had grown used to the name within a moon or so of joining the Clan, but Blazeflower still teased her with her old one when they were away from prying ears.

It wasn't like with Petalstripe and Thunderpaw, two other cats who had been born outside the Clan. Thunderpaw insisted on how the two had always been together before they had come to the Clan. According to Thunderpaw, Petalstripe had found her as a newborn kit and fought off ravenous dogs and a monster, whatever that was, and carried her all the way to where they found the Clan.

Petalstripe would then correct her that he had found her less than a moon before joining the Clan, stopping some Twoleg kits from coating her in something called 'paint'. Whatever it was, it was what resulted in the striking purple streak in his tail.

Either way, both of them had been more than happy to take new names and take part in Clan activity, Thunderpaw always finding ways to get into trouble without Petalstripe watching after her like a second mother.

Rosekit was shaken from her memories as Amberfang stilled beside them. All three looked as the camp entrance shifted, and Blizzardpelt's pure white fur appeared, followed by his daughter, Snowpaw, and Quickriver, another warrior. Behind them, a lanky apprentice, Goldenpaw, appeared, limping into camp with his back section lower to the ground than normal.

Seeming embarrassed about something, and eyes darting toward Blizzardpelt, Goldenpaw made a straight line for them. Though it was likely he was retreating to his nest, since they were still sprawled in front of the apprentice den. As he came closer, Rosekit noticed that he was walking funny, her back legs making a weird arc at they moved, rather than in a straight line like normal. Finally, he stopped beside them, and even Amberfang couldn't resist the purr of laughter when they saw the reason for his plight.

There were thorns, many of them, attached to the brightly-furred tom's rump.

"Pfft, what happened to you?" Blazeflower snorted as she sat up, Rosekit sliding off of her back with her own giggles.

Goldenpaw paced in a small circle, undoubtedly trying to get at the remaining barbs, "I um…W-well—"

"That idiot chased a squirrel through a giant patch of thorns, trying to show off!"

Goldenpaw yelped and whipped around as Snowpaw spoke. He'd been too distracted trying to turn enough to reach the thorns at the base of his tail to notice her approach.

"W-well I mean I was just trying to catch it before it got up the tree!" He defended himself lamely, looking flustered that she would reveal what had happened so blatantly.

But she only walked past them, heading for the medicine den where her sister, Palefeather, was still putting away herbs. Goldenpaw sighed, ears drooping as he set back to work.

Meadowbrook pushed her way out of the witch-hazel bush that housed the Clan's warriors, and stopped dead, eyes wide, as she took in the sight of Goldenpaw with a rump covered in thorns.

"Goldenpaw! What happened?!"

Goldenpaw stammered again, as his mother ushered him across the clearing toward where Palefeather was moving the dried herbs back into the safety of the cave. Amberfang took this opportunity to retreat to the fresh-kill pile, not having eaten since the night before.

Rosekit and Blazeflower both laughed as the mother fussed over her kit, but Rosekit felt a rush of affection as she watched with a smile. Meadowbrook had been the one to share her nest with Rosekit after her own mother had died.

Her father, Patchwhisker, had told her that she actually spent the first moon of her life sharing Snowpaw's mother's nest, up until Silvernight died*. After that, Meadowbrook happily opened her nest to Snowkit and Rosekit, but only the latter chose to accept the offer.

Snowkit, three moons old at the time, had insisted that she was old enough for her own nest, and stayed in what had been Silvernight's spot.

So Meadowbrook watched out for all four kits, even if one was reluctant. When Goldenpaw and Thunderpaw became apprentices, and Snowpaw a moon after them, the queen had reluctantly agreed to go back to the warrior's den, under the insistence of Rosekit herself. She had been four moons, older than Snowpaw had been when she got her own nest! And even then, Blazeflower or Patchwhisker, too worried for his own good, would more often than not find their way into the nursery to keep her warm on cold nights.

The happy thoughts continued as she leaned against her sister's overly fluffy pelt with a sigh. Other than Goldenpaw's accident, the day was going great!

And now that both patrols were back...

Yup, she sat up as she spotted, first Moonglade, then Owlstar emerge from behind the boulder on the other side of camp. Moonglade quickly locked her stare onto the two siblings, the older of whom shifted with a nervous chuckle.

Owlstar also looked, but with more of his usual thoughtfulness than any other emotion.

His level gaze then swept the entirety of the camp, before he leaped easily to the top of the boulder, elevating himself about 3 feet above the head of the average warrior.

"Let all cats gather in the clearing for a Clan meeting!" The words rang out in the relatively silent camp, his deep tone catching the attention of the cats that had just returned from the patrol.

Rosekit suddenly felt Blazeflower smoothing down her fur, and she felt a pang of nervousness that subdued her good mood briefly. She could see Crowtalon and Patchwhisker exiting the warriors den, and even Palefeather and Meadowbrook and Goldenpaw had come out of the medicine cave to watch. All those eyes looking at her...

Then she felt Blazeflower wrap her paws around her, pulling her into a hug. "You got this Rosekit. Now," she gave a very fake, very dramatic sniffle, "Go and make Momma Blaze proud."

Rosekit couldn't stop the giggle and she turned to blink appreciatively at her sister, who winked and sent her off with a lick on the ear.

Meanwhile, the rest of the cats sat in a wide semi-circle around the boulder, leaving a gap in the middle for Rosekit to stand, trying to hold her nerve and not flip out from sheer giddiness. Once the last of the Clan had found seats amidst the circle, Owlstar smiled and met the she-kit's gaze.

"We have come once more to a point in time when a young cat begins their training to join the ranks of warriors that protect and serve the Clan. Rosekit, step forward."

The kit suddenly felt even smaller as she followed his instructions. But that just made her hold her chin up higher.

"From this day, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Rosepaw."

The newly dubbed 'Rosepaw' nearly leapt into the air, barely managing to keep her paws rooted to the ground. Her excited shaking didn't go unnoticed though, given Owlstar's own small chuckle. Moonglade had also clearly seen, watching Rosepaw with her stern frown.

Rosepaw could only smile back sheepishly, for once too hyped up to let the deputy's strictness affect her.

"Rosepaw," Owlstar continued once she had gone mostly still, "your mentor will be—"

Who would it be? Her mentor would be the one to teach her, not only how to hunt and fight, but also the intricacies of their way of life; the code they lived by. And, as a mentor was responsible for the training of their apprentice, Owlstar always put a great amount of thought into who would be a good match.

Would she be lucky enough to get Crowtalon as her mentor? Or maybe even Blazeflower, despite being kin? After all, Meadowbrook was training Thunderpaw, despite basically being her mother in all but blood. Then again, what cat could control Thunderpaw _but_ Meadowbrook? Even Petalstripe had a hard time getting her to curb her ever-flowing excitement.

Oh, StarClan forbid she be apprenticed to Blizzardpelt or Moonglade. Amberfang might be good, but she hardly ever seemed comfortable around the majority of the Clan. Maybe—

"Quickriver."

It took a moment for the name to sink in, and finally Rosepaw whipped her head around to see the skinny gray tabby tom that stepped forward into the clearing.

One of the senior warriors of the Clan, Quickriver was renowned for being incredibly smart, and was originally named for his swift speed. He was always on the go, and did nearly everything at twice the pace of a regular warrior. Even at ease like he was now, the lanky tom's eyes skittered about the crowd, as if taking in every minute detail.

Owlstar nodded to the tom, "Quickriver, you are the fastest cat in the Clan, as well as one of its most brilliant. I trust that Rosepaw will learn much under your tutelage."

"Of course, Owlstar, of course! Rest assured, I will see that young Rosepaw here becomes a credit to the Clan!" Quickriver's jovial but rushed tone reminded Rosekit of all the times as a kit that she had ended up listening to his rambles when she had 'accidentally' found her way into the warriors den, only to find him there.

But at least his stories and lectures were more interesting than Wolfbelly's.

Rosepaw glanced toward the round-bellied old tom, only to make eye contact with his apprentice, Snowpaw, who sat beside him. Snowpaw raised a brow and looked away in disinterest as she focused on drawing a paw over her ears. Rosepaw felt a quick twinge of annoyance; the white she-cat could show a _little_ enthusiasm for her new den-mate!

But her annoyance faded as she received a small shove from behind by Blazeflower. Startled, Rosepaw blinked and looked up, coming nearly nose to nose with Quickriver.

Remembering the rest of the ceremony, the new apprentice lifted her muzzle just a bit more to touch her nose to Quickriver's.

"Rosepaw! Rosepaw! Rosepaw!"

Rosepaw pulled away, fidgeting excitedly, as the voices echoing in her ears as strongly as her thumping heartbeat.

She beamed up at her mentor, who observed her with his own excitement.

Above them, Owlstar nodded approvingly and called the meeting to a close, the rest of the cats once more breaking off into their own little groups after giving Rosepaw her well-wishes.

"Well, Rosepaw, I suppose that there's just enough time to-" Quickriver, for once, wasn't fast enough to speak before he was cut off by a loud yell from behind Rosepaw.

"Congratulations, Rosepaw!" Rosepaw didn't even have time to turn around as she was tackled to the ground.

"Ack! T-Thunderpaw—get off!" Rosepaw yelled, embarrassed at the other's playful actions right in front of her new mentor.

"Thunderpaw." The calming tone of Petalstripe reached Rosepaw's ears under the fur of Thunderpaw's belly, distorted as it was. As was the muffled chattering of the other apprentice. Finally, Thunderpaw scrambled off, sitting next to Petalstripe.

Quickriver smiled down at her, seeming completely okay with the interruption, "Well! I'm thrilled you already have a strong bond with your denmates, Rosepaw! I have a few things I can to discuss with Wolfbelly, but I believe we will have enough time to get a look at the territory before it get's too late. We can hunt on the way, there's so much to see!" He then turned away and trotted across the clearing to his companion and, by a few seasons, elder.

Rosepaw grinned and finally turned toward Thunderpaw, Petalstripe and Blazeflower right behind her. They each offered their own congratulations, and Blazeflower added another crushing hug on her part.

"How's it feel? Any different?" Blazeflower asked as she pulled away.

Rosepaw looked down at herself, mind racing, "I-I don't know yet. My heart's still racing!"

They all purred again, elated for her.

"Oh, you're going to love the grove! Especially now in Green-leaf! The trees are so pretty and the sunlight that dapples through is so cool!" Thunderpaw was saying, and Petalstripe softly pointed out that she had been too young in Leaf-bare to have seen the grove, so how would she know it was better now?

Rosepaw watched the two debate -it was a really one-sided debate- for a few moments before she heard Quickriver's voice.

"Come, Rosepaw! If we are to see the whole territory, then it would be best to depart now," Quickriver called from the camp entrance, not even waiting for his charge before disappearing into the thicket.

Rosepaw hardly spared the others a look, getting one last lick on the cheek from Blazeflower as she sprinted after the tom and out of the camp for the first time as an official apprentice.

* * *

 **Alright! It feels really rushed, but what can you do? I don't really have much to say that I didn't already say at the beginning.**

 **Where I put the asterisk, two things are important:**

 **F** **irst, kits don't develop higher memory function until about their first moon cycle since birth. Even then, everything is vague, much like your own childhood memories.**

 **Second: How Silvernight died will be properly addressed in later chapters, as it has a role in Snowpaw's -and Blizzardpelt's- development. For now, Rosepaw has no real recollection of Silvernight or her death, so it simply isn't something that she would consider at the time.**

 **Oh, also, I killed Goldenpaw's (Jaune's) dad. Yah.**

 **Please, if you enjoyed this story, leave a favorite and a review, no matter how minor. Thank you and see you next week!**

 **Next Chapter** **: Quickriver shows Rosepaw the Clan's wide territory, and the new apprentice learns a bit about the Warrior Code they all live by.**


	3. First Day Out

**I…I wish I could say that I had a good reason for taking so long on this chapter. The best I can come up with is my own need to envision the scene to a 't'. I meant what I said about having over 20 chapters planned out already, but in writing this chapter I found myself mentally mapping out** _ **every single part**_ **of the damned territory that you'll be reading about today.**

 **But holy crap, if that last episode didn't kick my mind into gear…**

 **Also, I invite readers to send me questions, comments or feedback about the world I am semi-constructing here.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY or Warrior Cats. All rights to respective owners.**

* * *

It wasn't the first time Rosepaw had seen the area outside of the fortified camp barrier. Granted, the times before were not very memorable, at least in comparison to the beauty she saw upon exiting the camp. The land before her was vast; the hills continuing on until they were halted by the forest line in the distance. Though Rosepaw was still beside the tall barrier and couldn't feel it, she knew the wind was blowing slightly from the way the patches of grass along the plains rippled like waves.

The sky had never been this clear or bright the other times she'd been escorted out, and that seemed to make all the difference.

Generally, kits were not permitted outside of the camp for their own safety, unless there was a warrior or two with them. Despite the relative peace the Clan lived in, no one wanted to chance a kit getting hurt or worse.

Turning around in a slow circle, Rosepaw noticed that the path through the barrier, flattened out by years of constant use, split into two directions along the edge of the wall. Facing the entrance to the camp, she knew that by following the path to her left, she would end up following the wall around to the base of the hill that gradually sloped up into the precipice sheltering the Clan. This was the path Owlstar would take in order to watch the camp from atop the cliff. Where the hill met flat ground, a bright and colorful field of flowers spread out for a good distance before giving way to more dirt and rocks that steadily grew larger the further away they were.

Crowtalon had told her that if you traveled far enough in that direction, you would reach the ever present mountains in the distance. Rosepaw wasn't sure that was possible, but the idea still sent chills of excitement down her spine. One day, maybe.

The other path separated from the curving wall of thorns and continued toward the distant river that marked the north boundary.

"Rosepaw? Come along, there'll be plenty of opportunities to admire the scenery in the days to come!" Quickriver's jovial fast-paced tone brought Rosepaw out of her imaginings.

Already on the crest of a northern-bound hill, the silver tom's voice carried down to her easily. "For now, it is imperative that you become acquainted with as much of our territory as possible. You will one day be protecting it, after all."

For a moment, Rosepaw didn't move, her mind processing his words. Then, like a strike of lightning, a shiver of excitement went through her body. She really was an apprentice now, wasn't she? And, for the first time in her life, she would be able to explore further than the flower field. Better yet, without being stalked like a piece of prey by her over-protective father!

Giddily, Rosepaw loped after her mentor –she had a _mentor_ now!– without looking back at the camp.

"First," Quickriver began, already moving at a steady pace. "We will visit the river border, and then circle our way east to the forest. Following that route will let us see the grove right at sunset so you can tell Thunderpaw when we get back."

Rosepaw, having caught up, caught the spark of amusement in his eyes. She nodded, unable to stop the little skip in her gait. Her mind was still buzzing in elation at getting to see her home in its entirety.

Was this what all apprentices felt on their first day out? It was incredible!

Her excitement continued on as they walked, before it became too much and questions began to spill out of her. Overall, the going was slow, as Quickriver was all too happy to indulge Rosepaw throughout the entire trek so long as they kept moving. Maybe a bit too much ("Yes, that probably leads to the rabbit's den, or maybe an exit somewhere else in the plains. They have an interesting way of getting around, you know! By utilizing the tunnels, they are able to avoid predators like ourselves and others like hawks, foxes-").

Still, Rosepaw remained enthusiastic. At least now she could put images to his words, much as they were.

Soon though, Rosepaw's inquiries were cut off by the rumbling sound of flowing water, and both she and Quickriver raced through the grass to the summit of the next slope, looking down on the wide river that split the fields.

Even from her elevated position on the hill, the river's length ran further than Rosepaw could see in either direction, following a linear channel from the mountain ridge, across the plains, and into the woods.

Without realizing it, Rosepaw had started down the hill toward the water, marveling at the clear waves. She was only a few feet from where the water level soaked the grass when Quickriver set a paw on her shoulder.

"Don't get too close. The river is wider than normal and its current is strong, because of the melted snow on the mountains."

Rosepaw frowned, her attention drawn immediately to him. "Snow in Greenleaf?"

"Hmm…" Quickriver's eyes danced from the river to the mountains and then to Rosepaw and back, who wasn't sure he had even heard her question. "It's going to be a hot Greenleaf. Hotter than last year, at least."

"What makes you say that?" Rosepaw asked, shifting so that his paw fell back to the ground.

Quickriver blinked and looked down at her, tugged from his own musings. "The river runs down from the mountains, so the snow that melts this time of year adds to it. It has to be pretty hot up there to bring this much extra water this early in the season. And soon, the hot air will come down here."

"Wait…what do you mean? Everyone says it only snows in leaf-bare!"

"How to explain…the snow in the mountains is higher up and doesn't melt as easily as the snow we have here. It builds up and then thaws in Greenleaf."

"How do you know all this stuff, Quickriver?"

Quickriver's muzzle quirked into a small grin, "seasons of observation. You were too young to remember the snow when it covered our territory, but we receive it every year and with it the white on the mountains grows. That snow on the mountain usually stays there until this time of year, when it melts and flows to the river and the peaks turn blue."

Rosepaw turned to gape at the mountains. She'd never given it much thought, but she could see now that there was indeed far less white on the peaks in the distance. "W-wow…"

Quickriver chuckled and began to walk along the dry ground beside the river, keeping himself between her and the water as he continued his lecture.

"Usually we leave scent markings on the other side of the river by crossing at a thinner portion closer to the forest. However, when the banks flood like this, we simply leave the markers on this side since even that part of stream is too much to jump."

It was so much information to take in, Rosepaw wasn't sure she'd be able to remember it all! But Quickriver had been patient so far, carefully explaining each new concept, even if in a fast paced tone. It reassured her, and she let her mind focus back on his words as they moved closer to the next part of the territory tour; the forest.

After passing the first collection of trees that were stranded in the plains, Quickriver veered from the river to head south. Rosepaw looked past the first ragged row of trees as they approached, noticing that the trees were spread enough apart so that sunlight was able to shine through, dappling the forest floor.

"Woah…"

"You haven't eaten today, correct?" Quickriver spoke up from beside her as they proceeded into the shaded portion of the territory.

Rosepaw felt her lower stomach rumble at the idea of food, and she shook her head in the negative.

"Then before we go any further I will catch us something to eat. We still have a long ways to go and we must keep up our energy!"

"Can I help you hunt?"

Quickriver surveyed the area with a swift eye and gestured to a stump among the brush, "why don't you sit up there, and watch how I move when stalking prey? It'll be a wonderful learning experience for you before you try it for yourself!"

She headed for the stump and hopped up, watching as Quickriver did another scan of the area and lowered himself into a crouch. She noticed how he kept his tail above the ground, for once stiff rather than sporadically twitching. He crept away from where they had come from, but even when he went behind some bushes briefly, it was hard to miss his silver tabby pelt through the plants.

Finally, he came to a stop, his entire body coiled and still. Rosepaw perked up, assuming that this meant he had his eyes on a piece of prey, but when he didn't move for a few moments, she found herself losing interest. She could hardly see what he was doing and found herself fidgeting more and more the longer she waited. Still, he didn't move. With a groan, she slipped off the stump and shook out her fur.

Rosepaw sniffed, unable to find any distinct prey scent. Maybe there was some further into the woods? Tempted to find something to show Quickriver, she rounded the stump and pushed through a small thicket, still trying to sniff out prey to little avail.

A small gust from the plains behind her blew a leaf past her and she grinned. If there was no prey to be found, why not practice a bit? Crouching like Quickriver had done, the young apprentice leapt for the leaf and missed it due to another breeze. "Hey! Get back here you!"

Finally pulling it to the ground after a short pursuit, she laughed and pinned it to the ground with her claws. "Hah! Can't run from me!"

She glanced around and spotted a stick about her length. She growled and crouched once more. "Intruder! Get off my territory!" She paused, as if waiting for an answer, before she jumped, rolling along the ground with the stick, using her hind legs to batter it as she laughed, "Not so tough now, are you?"

Maybe, in retrospect, she spent a little too much time around Blazeflower, who gloried in over-dramatics.

Scrambling to her paws, she shoved the stick away and followed it, continuing the abuse for several minutes.

"Rosepaw, wait."

The she-cat froze, half of the stick clamped in her jaws as she looked over her shoulder. The other half of her enemy lay destroyed some 20 yards back.

Quickriver appeared around a thicket carrying a squirrel, his words muffled by the kill's fur. He watched her with a curious but relaxed air, so Rosepaw didn't think he was mad she had wandered off. "Doesn't the air smell different now?"

Figuring out what he said, the apprentice dropped the remains of the stick and inhaled through her mouth, taking in the scents of the forest. The smell of cats, while strong, had lessened slightly. To the point that only a cat that lived surrounded by the scent would notice.

"It's different!" When had that happened?

"That's because you crossed the scent line. Technically, you're now standing outside Clan boundaries," Quickriver said patiently, setting the squirrel down to do so.

Rosepaw blinked, and looked around in confusion. She hadn't realized just how far she had wandered into the forest; looking past Quickriver, she couldn't even see the plains through the trees anymore. "Oops? I just got bored watching you sit there doing nothing, so I was...practicing..."

She shifted the stick behind her with a rear paw.

Quickriver chuckled, both ears swiveling about as if listening to every noise in the forest. "It's quite alright, Rosepaw. I can't fault you for your curiosity. However, you shouldn't run off without telling me. But it is just the first day, and I would be wrong in saying I wasn't the same as a young one."

Glancing to his left, to the space between them. "You see that jutting rock? It's one of several small natural indicators that line from the north river to the old fox den in the south."

He made small marks in the dirt with a claw, each one slightly apart from the next. Then, he slid the claw through each to connect them and create a ragged line. "Like this."

"Oh…" Rosepaw hustled over, taking a silent solace in being back within the set boundaries. Now that she was aware of it, it just felt...more familiar, even if it was only a few feet of difference. She glanced from the diagram to the rock, slowly absorbing this.

But…

Rosepaw frowned. "So, wait, why's our border here, and not further out then? There are so many trees out there that have to be hiding prey!"

Quickriver only flicked his tail in the direction of the scent line, "Rosepaw, tell me: what benefit would we have by increasing the borders to such a length that patrolling them would be impossible to do every day? The amount of prey we have within our boundaries keeps us fed, even in the harshest of cold seasons, and taking any more of the forest could very well put us at odds with the other beasts that dwell further in. Wolves and foxes, for example. Perhaps a bear or two. Expanding our border anymore would only spread the Clan and make us vulnerable. Do you understand?"

"I…I think so," Rosepaw shifted from one paw to the other as she considered his words. It would be hard to defend so much land. "There are actually wolves out there?" She asked, casting her gaze into the woods.

"I have only ever seen a few wolves in my lifetime. They travel through the territory following prey, but they never stay. You are far more likely to fun into other cats or foxes.

"Now," he continued, waving his tail as a visual of changing the subject suddenly, "shall we eat?"

After sitting down to share the squirrel, which was big enough to fill both of their bellies, Quickriver buried the remains while Rosepaw absently groomed the dust she had accumulated off of her fur. All said and done, the tom led onward, making sure to point out each natural marker as they journeyed south. The ground gradually began to slop upwards, and Rosepaw assumed that they were heading for the fox den Quickriver had mentioned.

The pair came to a clearing, and Rosepaw immediately knew the old fox den when she saw it. A great tree with a trunk that dwarfed the ones around it sat at the edge of the clearing, knocked from its original place but kept lodged in a diagonal position thanks to a ridge the trunk rested on. The roots ripped from the earth were thick and loomed over the ground beneath in arches, while the rest of the roots remained imbedded in the ridge. It was as if some storm had loosened the tree years ago, but it was so large that it never came all the way loose, leaving a perfect place to shelter amidst the massive tangled roots. The small alcoves were covered in lichen, moss and vines that dangled over the arching roots like a cover, shielding the molded ground beneath.

"This den was home to a whole pack of foxes, back before Owlstar's time. For a time our border skimmed the edge of theirs, but every so often the foxes would attack, steal prey and the occasional kit. Eventually, the Clan had had enough and chased out the pack and filled in the holes. Now and again some creature will try and make its home here, so the Clan moved the boundary to include it."

Rosepaw had traipsed to the edge of the small dip in the land, trying to spot the holes Quickriver had described. "Foxes live in holes?!"

Quickriver purred, "Yes I forgot you wouldn't have any knowledge of that! You see, Foxes live in packs smaller than our Clan and dig burrows similar to rabbits to shelter from the cold. they don't generally travel underground though-" He looked ready to launch into a monologue, only to cut himself off with a glance at the sky through the branches above. "Though I suppose that lesson will have to wait. Especially if we want to make it to the grove. Thunderpaw wasn't wrong when she said it had a beauty to it like no other during sunset."

"I...don't think she said it like that..."

However, he didn't seem to hear her, or perhaps her had intentionally ignored the comment, his tail waving exuberantly as he led the way out of the clearing.

Leaving the forest behind, it was only a quick jaunt across the southern fields of the territory to the grove, a bundle of trees sheltered atop a rise in the plains that could be seen from the distant camp entrance. And, similar to the ridge that shadowed their camp, the edge of the rise allowed one to see the entirety of the territory below.

Breaking from the tree line, Rosepaw realized just how far they had traveled that day. The edge of the sun had vanished behind the mountains, a warm orange hue tinting the entire sky, as well as the grass rippling across the ground. The longer she watched, the more she noticed a swirl of purple mixing into the orange, and turning her head just slightly, she could see the moon rising. It was beautiful to see the mixture of colors wash over the valley, and Rosepaw suddenly had a rush of pride in her chest as her heart thumped.

This was her home. Her territory. This was what she was learning to protect. And one day...

"Well, I don't think we could have timed that any better!"

She jumped, so lost in thought that she forgot about Quickriver sitting beside her. Noticing her confused look, he clarified, "The grove is special in its own way for leaders and medicine cats, but what's also wonderful is this view. This is the perfect vantage point to see the sun and the moon together like this, both welcoming silverpelt back to the sky. Not even Owlstar's ridge allows one to see the perfect blending of day and night."

Rosepaw remained quiet, and turned her gaze upward to see that his words were true. The stars within silverpelt were awakening, and with the sight of them between the sinking sun and the rising moon... it just seemed perfect.

The two, mentor and apprentice, stayed there for a while, until the sun had sunk low enough for the purple to overtake the orange in the sky. Only then was Rosepaw able to tear her eyes from the spectacle above.

Quickriver breathed deeply, the exhale one of calm and contentment. For the first time that whole day, he spoke in a slow lilting voice, "We should head back now."

"Huh? We're heading back now? I'm not that tired!" Rosepaw protested, forcing her legs to move with a grimace after sitting still for so long.

Quickriver purred. "Believe me, Rosepaw: One day, you'll be able to make the entire journey without requiring a rest, but for now our objective has been fulfilled and you have seen the edges of our territory. I'm not so old that I can't remember how tired I was when I, too, first made this trek." Quickriver started to pad forward again, slowed to a leisurely stroll to accommodate Rosepaw's exhaustion. It seemed like her body chose now to run out of adrenaline.

"Besides, I have no doubt that you have a crowd of cats awaiting your return."

Rosepaw blinked and walked a bit faster now, the thought of her kin waiting back at the camp to hear about her outing giving her a renewed burst of energy.

* * *

 **Okay! So, now we have a half-decent sense of the territory and a forming mentor/apprentice relationship between Quickriver (Oobleck) and Rosepaw (Ruby). Let me know what you think of their portrayals; I want to improve and can only do so with feedback! **

**Any form of response lets me know that I'm not wasting my time on this, so please share your thoughts or inquiries! To show my thanks, I will answer any questions given in the reviews in the next chapter.**

 **Thank you!**

 **Next Chapter** **: A few days after becoming an apprentice, Rosepaw finds herself at odds with Snowpaw after accidentally ruining the latter's hunting assessment.**


	4. Adjusting

**Welcome to the chapter where we see actual character…development? I don't know, there's a bunch of arguing in this. And glaring. That seems to be a theme with my chapters. Huh.**

 **Anyways, enough of that. Thank you all for the amount of favorites and follows I've received so far!**

 **Now onto the responses!**

 **Darkerpaths : This Clan is the only one that will be featured in this story. Think SkyClan, but not entirely. And no, they aren't actually SkyClan. But other characters are going to appear, have no fear about that. The first non-Clan cats will appear in chapter 8.**

 **Random Reviewer : I understand why you reason that this should go in the crossover section, however I don't feel like I am stepping on anyone's toes by posting it here. If it really bothers readers then I may move it, but no one else seems to have a problem. Thank you for your concern though.**

 **MS : Thank you very much! I hope you continue to enjoy my fic!**

 **Okay, long intro over. Let's get to the kitties!**

 **Disclaimer: RWBY is property of RoosterTeeth, and Warriors is written by Erin Hunter. I own nothing.**

* * *

Rosepaw leapt, swiping at a low flying butterfly as it swirled over her head. Missing by barely a claw-length, she tumbled to the ground with a trill of laughter, rolling across the clearing to the base of one of the many trees filling the area. Before, it'd been against the rules for a kit to leave the camp alone. Now she was able to come and go as she liked!

Well, as long as Quickriver didn't have something for her to do.

The change between being a 'kit' and being a 'paw' had overwhelmed her at first. Responsibilities had never been more than making her nest, and even then the bedding was provided by cats that could actually leave the camp. Now she was not only supposed to help with all of the nests in the camp, but she could be sent to fetch moss, or made to assist Palefeather gather herbs, or help to repair a break in one of the dens or camp wall.

Granted, she hadn't been instructed to do any of those things in the last three days, but Thunderpaw was very insistent that it was coming.

And, according to Blazeflower, apprentices were also responsible for getting fleas and ticks off of the older cats in the Clan. Thankfully, they had no elders and Wolfbelly showed no signs of willingly giving up his duties.

Besides, Rosepaw was half-certain that Blazeflower had been lying.

But the new apprentice didn't have time to do anything like that, as Quickriver had her out and about with him all day every day. It was only today that he relented in giving her a break while he joined a hunting patrol.

Even the first night of being in the apprentice den was a huge change! After all, she'd been mostly by herself in the nursery for a while, sans the occasional appearance of Blazeflower or Patchwhisker. So it wasn't hard to understand that moving in with three other cats in a new den might be strange for her.

Still...it'd been an interesting first night.

* * *

 **(Flashback)**

 _Paws dragging by the time they reached the camp, Rosepaw and Quickriver were greeted by the night patrol exiting the hedges that shielded their home. Meadowbrook led the way, followed by Crowtalon, Petalstripe and Blazeflower. Both Meadowbrook and Petalstripe had nodded to her as they passed, while Crowtalon rubbed a paw to her head affectionately. Blazeflower stopped briefly as the others went on, explaining that she had to make up for missing the morning patrol._

 _Apparently Moonglade hadn't forgotten about Blazeflower's earlier absence after all._

 _Quickriver had already slipped into the camp as the two sisters spoke, and Rosepaw promised to tell Blazeflower all about her experience the next day before letting the older she-cat go to catch up with the patrol._

 _She ended up being thankful that her mentor had gone in first, as she had had a feeling that Patchwhisker had been waiting on the other side to bombard her with questions. Instead, Rosepaw had emerged to the entertaining sight of Patchwhisker fumbling for words as he tried to explain to Quickriver why he had nearly jumped on top of the silver tabby seconds before._

 _Rosepaw saved her father from further embarrassment by appearing, and his words turned to ones of concern at her tired state. She spent a few moments assuring him that she was fine, just tired, before she finally yawned for the third time in a row and was ushered off by Quickriver._

 _Patchwhisker nearly followed her to the apprentice den, but Quickriver once more intervened, steering the other tom away to the warrior's den with exuberant talk of needing rest for the dawn patrol._

 _Whether or not he'd known he was helping his apprentice to make a break for it, she wasn't sure, but she was grateful all the same._

 _Finally, Rosepaw turned her attention to the apprentice den. Situated in a giant fern bush under the lone tree in the camp, the den was large enough to accommodate a number of apprentices... but the concept of sharing space daunted her._

 _No, she could do this. She hung out with Goldenpaw and Thunderpaw all the time! And they'd shared a den only a few moons before! Snowpaw too, though the white she-cat had hardly ever_ played _with them._

 _Pushing through the first few giant ferns, Rosepaw blinked. While the den had no actual roof, the tree's branches and leaves provided ample cover, and the outer plants were tall enough to give some privacy. The ground inside the den was covered by firmly pressed fern leaves, which provided the foundation of the nests, though the Clan also added moss and feathers for comfort._

 _Immediately, she spotted two of her new denmates._

 _Goldenpaw was lying in his nest, sprawled on his stomach so as to not upset the places the thorns had dug into on his rump. He might have even been sleeping by now, if not for the other cat laying across his shoulders, pinning him as she playfully tugged at his ear with her teeth. Goldenpaw seemed resigned to his fate as designated chew toy, though he did try and raise his head when he spotted Rosepaw. Thunderpaw noticed his sudden shifting and looked up, letting go of the golden tom's appendage with a grin._

 _"Welcome home, Rosepaw! Well, welcome to your new home! I mean I guess the Clan itself is our home, but you don't sleep in the clearing! Oh, speaking of: Me and Blazeflower made you a nest already so you didn't have to worry about it! Come on, try it out!"_

 _Goldenpaw uttered a praise to StarClan as Thunderpaw crossed the small space between nests and patted one of the empty ones with a grin._

 _Rosepaw found herself purring as she had made her way to the nest, noticing that it was the only one without a heavy scent of some other cat's ownership. She dropped into it without a second thought, ready to fall asleep right there. "Thanks, Thunderpaw."_

 _"Hey, I helped too!"_

 _Rosepaw managed a laugh that turned quickly into a wide yawn. "You too, Goldenpaw. Goodnight."_

 _Thunderpaw had different ideas. Digging her paws into the side of Rosepaw's nest, she stared down at the other expectantly._

 _Rosepaw's ears twitched and she looked up. "Err...what?"_

 _"So? So? How did you like the Grove? And the fox den? Wasn't it awesome?"_

 _Even Goldenpaw, who seemed to have been sulking until that point, had lifted his head and given her his attention eagerly._

 _Now, Rosepaw loved talking with both of them. But she was way past her limit of energy and just wanted to sleep for a moon._

 _She was saved by the appearance of their final denmate, Snowpaw. The white she-cat brushed the ferns aside with a paw, and made her way to the next opposite Rosepaw's and beside Thunderpaw's. Sitting down, she gave Thunderpaw a questioning glance, but overall ignored the hubbub as she set to grooming her fluffy pelt._

 _Both Thunderpaw and Goldenpaw gave her brief hellos, the former quickly going back to nudging at Rosepaw._

 _"Come on, Rosepaw! Did you see the flooded river? What'd you think of it? How-"_

 _It was only then that Snowpaw addressed the orange she-cat, ears folded back crossly. "Thunderpaw, I'm sure Rosepaw can regale you with her first adventure tomorrow, when she's actually able to think straight."_

 _"Aww, you're no fun, Snowpaw!" Thunderpaw whined, neck craned to see the white she-cat._

 _"Yes I am!" Snowpaw huffed. Her expression would've been hilarious at any time Rosepaw wasn't half-asleep._ _"Either way, I have to get up early for the dawn patrol."_

 _"So?"_

 _Snowpaw scowled at the chipper orange cat. "I was late and didn't get to eat the last two times because_ you _insisted on going on and on all night about anything and everything! So_ please _," she stressed the 'please', "save it for tomorrow."_

 _Thunderpaw had shrugged and relented with less fuss than Rosepaw would have thought, hopping back to her own nest. Rosepaw yawned and sent Snowpaw a grateful glance._

 _But Snowpaw had already turned away from them all._

* * *

Quickriver had been merciful the following morning, letting his sore apprentice sleep in as he went off with the dawn patrol. She'd need to be in tip-top shape for tomorrow, he'd told her upon his return.

That evening had been the first time Rosepaw got the chance to actually talk with her father, uncle and sister as a group since the ceremony. After napping away some of the remaining fatigue from the night before, Rosepaw had plenty of energy to tell them all about her first outing. Thankfully, Thunderpaw and Goldenpaw showed up during her story, so they didn't miss much.

The next day, Rosepaw woke up feeling refreshed and ready to go, just as Quickriver had anticipated. And she was lucky to have gotten such good sleep, considering the full day ahead of her. First was a beginning hunting practice; Quickriver showing her step-by-step how to stalk different kinds of prey. They worked on her stance and how to move along the ground to approach a mouse without alerting it. A little after Sun-high, Quickriver called the lesson to a halt.

The rest of the day, he'd said, would be for running.

"Running every day will help you to be faster and have better endurance. You were exhausted by the time we made it around the territory once, and that's because you haven't grown accustomed to that much distance. Naturally, you'd eventually be able to traverse the territory without issue, but where's the challenge in that? You'll only get faster by pushing your limits," Quickriver had explained.

And so they have raced all along the hills, Quickriver showing the smaller cat no reprieve until well into the evening. Rosepaw wasn't certain what the end goal of all this was, but by the time she was in her nest, she was positive that Quickriver was just trying to train a cat he could one day race with. Everyone moved too slow for him, and now he could fix that with his own apprentice.

The following day started with her first dawn patrol, alongside Quickriver, Blazeflower and Amberfang. Rosepaw had been fearful that she'd be too tired to travel so far, but with the sound sleep she'd achieved as well as the pep shared by Blazeflower, it became much easier. Admittedly there wasn't much learning to be done though, with the two sisters romping around and Quickriver's tolerance for such behavior. The silver tabby dashed about the border as they went. He knew that while there was a time to be serious, believed that as long as the job was done efficiently, there was no reason to discourage the duo's play. Besides, he quite preferred the lackadaisical parts of life and even tried to partake in the banter whenever he paused in his speeding about. Other than Amberfang, they were the perfect image of a bunch of eccentric dorks. Amberfang herself had a tendency to walk at a slight distance from the others, lost in her own thoughts even as she watched the others frolic instead of work. Every time Rosepaw looked back at her, the black cat had a small smile, though her distinctly torn ears quivered at minute sounds nervously. At least they could tell Moonglade honestly that more than one of them had actually been watching for disturbances.

Thankfully after returning, Rosepaw was once more set free to relax and rest her paws. Her mentor assured her that her paws would grow stronger from so much activity, so that was a plus, at least.

The most recent morning, that morning, Quickriver had informed her that he was going with a hunting patrol and wanted her to take the time to better familiarize herself with the territory. What had started out as an earnest attempt to memorize each of the forest border-markers had derailed quickly. Having spotted the a butterfly resting on a rock border-marker, she fell into a sort of game, pretending the insect was an enemy cat and had to be chased out. Thus the chase began.

If she'd been paying better attention, she would have realized the racket she was making with her romping around and exaggerated battle noises.

* * *

 **((All caught up to the start of chapter))**

"What do you think you're doing?!"

Rosepaw flinched, losing her concentration, her balance, and the butterfly. She toppled over and collapsed with a groan. Ripped from her imaginary game, Rosepaw rolled onto her paws to try and get her bearings.

Instead of landmarks, however, her attention was drawn to Snowpaw as she burst from the bushes. Her white fur bristled with frustration and she looked about ready to skin Rosepaw alive.

"Um...learning about butterflies?"

"You complete dunce! You scared off my prey!"

"What?" Honestly, she wasn't sure she'd ever heard Snowpaw this loud before.

Rosepaw backed up a few paces, shaking her head to lessen the small ringing in her ears.

"My bird. The one I was hunting." Snowpaw looked upwards and raised a paw at a speck soaring through the sky. "That bird."

"Oh...Sorry, Snowpaw. I was, uh, looking around at the border-markers and got kind of side-tracked."

Snowpaw rolled her eyes. "Of course you did. You're not kit anymore, you know."

Now Rosepaw couldn't keep herself from retorting, "Hey, I've only been an apprentice for, like, three days! You can't expect me to know how to do everything!"

The white she-cat glared at the smaller apprentice. "You could still use common sense. Like knowing not to run around the forest alone chasing butterflies and yelling. Why are you out here anyways?"

"Quickriver said it'd be okay if I came out here for a bit while he was busy. Said I should get to know where each marker is."

"Then did he tell you that I was having a hunting assessment today?"

The smaller apprentice flinched. Every cat in the Clan knew that an assessment of an apprentice's skills helped to show their progress in that field. Being only a moon into her training, mistakes were acceptable in comparison to an assessment given prior to one's warrior ceremony. But Snowpaw treated it the same as everything else she did: with complete dedication.

Knowing this, Rosepaw struggled to recall her conversation with Quickriver. As usual, there'd been a lot of extra words thrown into the tabby's speech, but she didn't remember any mention of Snowpaw's assessment. Though Rosepaw might've zoned out once or twice, so...

"I don't...think so?" She shrugged sheepishly and Snowpaw groaned. "Well…maybe I can help you catch something else!"

"Hmph. That would be cheating." Snowpaw tilted her head with squinted eyes. "Can you even hunt? Like you said, it's only been three days."

"Quickriver taught me the basics!"

"…Like I said, it's cheating to get help of any sort in an assessment. So just stay out of my way. I would have been closer to finishing if you hadn't on that branch." Snowpaw paused, one paw in the air as she began to make her way out of the clearing. "In fact, you should probably just go home. I have to catch more than a bird and I don't need to run into you later as well."

Rosepaw felt her face scrunch up in indignation, but Snowpaw was already leaving. Watching until Snowpaw's bright white fur disappeared through the foliage, she gave a loud groan and flopped over onto her back, paws covering her face.

* * *

Ever since returning to camp, Rosepaw kept an eye and eye on the camp entrance for any sign of Snowpaw. Having been given some time to cool down, she hoped that the two of them could reconcile after the white she-cat's assessment.

It was close to sun-down around the time when Snowpaw returned from her assessment, Wolfbelly trailing behind jovially. To Rosepaw's joy, Snowpaw was carrying along a finch to make up for the robin Rosepaw made her lose earlier. It was big enough that Wolfbelly had to carry the other two pieces of prey, a mouse and a squirrel.

Rosepaw detangled herself from the play-fight she and Thunderpaw had been having, and raced to intercept them at the fresh-kill pile. Snowpaw saw her coming and glowered, though her mouth was muffled by the feathers so only her scrunched brows were visible.

Determinedly, Rosepaw pressed on, hoping her excitement and want to put the spat behind them would reach the other apprentice.

"How'd you do? Did you pass?" Rosepaw didn't wait for an answer, turning to Wolfbelly. "Did she pass?"

Neither got the chance to answer before yet another new, much deeper voice, chimed in. "Yes, how did you do, Snowpaw?"

Snowpaw set the finch down and straightened up as Blizzardpelt approached, meeting his refined stature with her own. His neutral expression swept over the group and his daughter's kills as he waited. Wolfbelly took the chance to set the mouse and squirrel down and gave a loud rumbling purr.

"She's only been an apprentice for a moon, Blizzardpelt. But she's quite the natural; passed as easily as a fish learning to swim. In fact, I would say that her skills are quite exemplary for her age! Nearly as good as me when I was…"

Even as Wolfbelly spoke, neither father nor daughter were listening, their attentions focused on each other.

Blizzardpelt and Snowpaw stared at each other, before the former finally gave a small nod. "Just as I would expect from her."

"I would have been done earlier, actually," Snowpaw folded her ears back as she glanced over her shoulder at Rosepaw "but she—"

Blizzardpelt's strict growl cut her off abruptly.

"A warrior doesn't make excuses. If you made a mistake you work so that it doesn't happen again. You did adequate today, and I expect that you will do even better in the future."

Snowpaw, still half-turned to glare at Rosepaw, raised her head and ears at Blizzardpelt's… compliment?

"…What does adequate mean?" Rosepaw murmured this to Snowpaw, who rolled her eyes out of impulse.

"It means I did okay, you dunce. Shush."

As Rosepaw frowned, Snowpaw finally turned back to Blizzardpelt and Wolfbelly, who'd fallen silent finally as they watched the two apprentices whisper to one another. "I'm sorry, father. You're right. I'll do my best in the future." At her kin's raised brow, she added, "I won't let this delay my progress."

Finally, Blizzardpelt allowed a faint smile cross his muzzle. "Good."

"It's about mealtime…I'll take the finch to Palefeather." Snowpaw snatched the bird by a wing and padded away, leaving Rosepaw sitting awkwardly with Blizzardpelt and Wolfbelly in silence. Giving a nervous chuckle, Rosepaw ducked her head and hurried after Snowpaw, before either of them had the thought of lecturing her.

"Snowpaw?"

The white she-cat was already at the mouth of Palefeather's cave. She paused, turning around to lock eyes with Rosepaw. Waiting.

"I just wanted to say good job. And I'm sorry about scaring that bird away, before."

Snowpaw hesitated, clearly conflicted as she refrained from her original choice of words. Finally, she set the finch down carefully and sighed, frowning, "I handled it. Just…just try not to get in the way again. My father was right: I have a lot to improve on and I can't make excuses or let someone else's inexperience bring me down."

Rosepaw forced down the bit of hurt at the other's double-edged words. Snowpaw was in the right, after all: If Rosepaw hadn't interrupted the hunt, Snowpaw might have finished much earlier. She shifted from one paw to the other and gave the older she-cat an uneven smile. "Wolfbelly was right too, though. You're already a great hunter despite your age!"

Snowpaw looked off to the side, but Rosepaw continued so that Snowpaw didn't dwell too long on the prior conversation. "Either way, I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you somehow!"

The eye-roll she received this time was more amused exasperation than anything, and Rosepaw felt her fur tremble slightly in hope.

Maybe there was a chance for a friendship after all!

* * *

 **Next chapter begs to differ, but whatever.**

 **That's it for this chapter! Remember, I deeply appreciate all comments and forms of feedback, and will happily reply to any questions about this world that you may have. So please remember to R &R!**

 **Side note: I will be going back to work on the flow of previous chapters, as I know I have a bad habit of missing information. Thank you for your patience.**

 **Next Chapter : Crowtalon is in charge of a battle session for all of the apprentices, and the odd tension between Snowpaw and Rosepaw is only growing stronger. The criticisms of Blizzardpelt aren't helping, either.**


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